Locomotive



W. C. LAWSON.

LOCOMOTIVE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 18. I919.

Patented J an. 6, 1920;

4 SHEETb-SHEET I w; c. LAWSON.

LOCOMOTIVE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, l9l9- 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 'Patented' Jan. 6, 1920.

w. c. LAWSON.

LOCOMOTIVE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18. 1919.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

6 v :I g WW 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WILLIAM C. LAWSON, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

LOGOIVIO'IIVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed March 18, 1919. Serial No. 283,350.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. Lawson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotives, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is a type of locomotive which is propelled by a suitable motor located thereon, the propelling movement being secured by the winding action of drum members upon a stationary cable extending along the line or way over which the locomotive moves.

Qne of the difiiculties that has been experiencedin locomotives of this type has been due to the accumulation of slack in the cable at the locomotive, resulting among other things, in a lessening of the frictional contact between the cable and drum members and increasing the liability of the cable to become displaced thereon.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide mechanism of an effective character that obviates these objections.

Another object is to provide means whereby the power delivered to the locomotive is varied according to the amount of work the said locomotive has to do. Thus, for example, where an up-grade is encountered and more power is needed, means are provided for automatically delivering the same. On the other hand, when the locomotive and its train is traveling on a level or down-grade, the power is correspondingly diminished and greater speed obtained.

A still further object is to provide a novel arrangement in the drum mechanism, whereby a straight lead of the cable from the grooves of one drum member to the grooves of the other is properly maintained.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a locomotive equipped with a form of construction that is at present considered preferable.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

3 is a cross sectional view on the line Zl-3 of Fig.

Fig. at is a detail view somewhat diagram- 66 of Fig. 5.

matic in its character, illustrating the relation of the two drums.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view through the mounting for one of the guide and takeup rollers.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view on the line Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating the engine controlling mechanism. I I

Fig. 8 is a view at right angles to Fig. and taken substantially on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the mounting for one of the friction drive wheels.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings. 5

The embodiment disclosed is designed particularly for use on a railway, but it will be evident when the invention is more fully understood, that it is not restricted to such use. A vehicle member is employed, comprising a suitable truck frame 10 carried on wheels 11, which in the present instance,

travel on rails 12. The truck frame is provided at its opposite ends with extensions 13, having couplings let for connection with cars to be drawn.

Journaled on the frame in suitable boxes 15 are two transversely disposed drums 16 having peripheral grooves 17 to receive several wraps or loops of a propelling cable 18 that is secured at its ends the track or way and normally lies between the rails, as will be clearly understood. As shown more particularly in Fig. 2, this cable passes from one drum to the other, so that the said drums are within common loops, and furthermore several wraps are provided, as will be evident by reference to Fig. 1. In order that the cable may have a proper lead or travel around these drums, the boxes 15 of one are out of parallel relation to the other, so that the said drums are relatively canted, as will be evident by reference to Fig. 4. In Other. words, their axes of rotation are in planes that are disposed in angular relation to each other. As a consequence, it will be. noted by reference to said Fig. 4: that the first or right-hand groove on the upper side of one drum is in line with the second groove from the right of the other drum, the corresponding grooves of the to the ends of drum can be rotated in drums on the lower sides, however, being in substantial alinement. Thus, it will be evident that each loop or stretch of the cable will properly follow from one drum to the other, without any lateral or side strain upon the cable.

For the purpose of driving the drums, the following mechanism is preferably employed. An internal combustion engine of any well known type, and designated generally by the reference numeral 19 is suitably mounted on the truck frame and the shaft 20 thereof carries a sprocket wheel 21 around which passes a sprocket chain 22 that operates about another sprocket wheel 23L The sprocket wheel 23 is fixed to a shaft24 carrying a drive wheel 25 having a flat friction face 26. The shaft 24 is slidably mounted in suitable bearings 27 and is yieldingly urged in one direction by a spring 28 thereon bearing against a grooved collar 29 associated with the wheel 23. A rock shaft 30 is provided with a yoke 31 engaging the groove of the collar 29, and this rock shaft has mounted thereon an actuating lever 82. Thus, it will be clear that by operating the lever, the shaft can be moved longitudinally against the action of the spring, and the friction wheel will thus move with it.

Journaled at right angles to the shaft 24 is another shaft 83 on which is feathered a friction wheel 34, the periphery of'which is in frictional contact with the face 26 of the wheel 25. The shaft 33 carries a sprocket wheel 35 that is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 36 passing around a sprocket wheel 37 carried by a shaft 38 journaled on the lower portion of the truck frame. This shaft has secured thereto a small sprocket wheel 39 around which passes a sprocket chain 4.0 that engages another sprocket wheel ell suitably fixed to one of the drums 16. lVith this construction, it will be evident that when the engine is in operation, one of the drums will be directly driven thereby, and through the cable, the other drum will also be rotated. It will be noted furthermore that by shifting the friction wheel 34 to either side of the axis of rotation of the friction wheel 26, the either of opposite directions, and the distance the wheel 34 is away from the axis of the wheel and the shaft 24 on which it is mounted determines the amount of power transmitted from the motor to the drum.

As before stated, one of the difiiculties heretofore encountered with locomotives of this type is the fact that the slack in the cable ordinarily accumulates at the rear drum, and for the purpose of eliminating this objection a cable tensioning or take up vmeans isprovided. In the particular embodiment disclosed a swinging arm 42 is journaled between its ends on each of the drum shafts. A. coiled spring 43 is provided for each arm, being connected at one end to the inner portion thereof, as shown at 4.4:, the other end of said spring having a suitable connection l5 with the frame of the machine. The outer end of each arm as has a journal box 46 secured thereto by a U- bolt 47, and journaled in each box at} is the pintle 48 of a caster 4:9, in which is journaled a guide take-up roller 50. This roller, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 engages the propelling cable 18 directly adjacent to the outer portion of the drum with which it is associated, and is adapted to swing upwardly, as indicated, alongside the drum under the action of the spring 48. Preferably an idler roller 51 is journaled in the extension 13 for engagement with the cable when the roller 50 is in its elevated position.

With the above construction, assui'ning that the locomotive, as shown in Fig. 2, is moving to the right, it will be evident that the drum will cause a strain upon the cable 18 in advance of the locomotive. This strain will therefore swing the roller 50 downwardly, placing the spring 43 under tension. /Vhere the cable leaves the locomotive, or in other words, at the rear drum, tension is relaxed. Consequently, the spring will contract, as shown, causing the elevation of the rear roller 50 and taking up any slack that may be occasioned thereby. Besides acting as a tension or take-up, the said rollers 50 constitute guides for directing the cable to and from the respective drums, and furthermore by reason of the fact that these rollers have caster mountings, they can swing laterally to accommodate themselves to any slight displacement of the cable, and also in rounding curves and the like. Their guiding function, however, is maintained, for it will be noted that the cables aft-er leaving the rollers, pass through the pintles, the same having bores for the purpose, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. It will also be noted that irrespective of the amount of lateral swing that may be imparted to the rollers, they will still properly guide or direct the cables through said pintles.

In connection with the above described mechanism means are also provided for automatically varying the power delivered to the drums, according to the strain placed on said druins, whereby when the load becomes heavy, more power is imparted to the drums, and on the other hand as the load lightens the power is decreased with a corresponding increase in speed. This is accomplished by the following mechanism. Each of the arms 42 is provided at its inner end with a gear segment 52, one of the segments being arranged in opposite relation to the other as will be evident by refeonce to Fig. 2. Extending longitudinally of the truck frame between the drums, is a shaft 53 journaled at 54, and adapted to move longitudinally in said journal bearings. This longitudinal movement is accomplished by means of a lever 55 suitably fulcrumed on the frame and having a fork 56 at its lower end engaged in the groove of a collar 57 fixed to the shaft. The ends of said shaft 53 carry pinions 58 that are movable into mesh with the respective gear segments 52, the arrangement, however, being such that an intermediate position may be attained, in which both pinions are out of mesh, leaving the shaft 53 idle. Fixed to this shaft is a sprocket wheel 58 around which passes a sprocket chain 59 that passes around a sprocket wheel 60 carried by an upper shaft 61 journaled in suitablestandards 62. This shaft furthermore is provided with a suitable hand wheel 63. With this arrangement, it will be evident that when the shaft 53 is in neutral position, it can be turned in either direction by the hand wheel 63.

The shaft 53 carries another sprocket wheel 64 engaged by a sprocket chain 65, the ends of which are secured to a yoke 66 slidably mounted on a guide bar 67, the yoke being engaged in the groove of a collar 68 that is carried by the friction wheel 34.

The operation of this mechanism may be briefly described as follows When the shaft 53 is in its neutral position, with the pinions 58 out of mesh with the gear segments 52, if the hand wheel 63 is turned in one direction or the other, the said shaft 53 will be rotated, and consequently the yoke 66 will be moved in one direction or the other, thus shifting the friction wheel 34 toward or from the axis of the wheel 26, or across said axis. If it is desired to effect the automatic shifting movement of the gear wheel, it is only necessary to move the shaft 53 longitudinally until one of the pinions 58 is in mesh with the foremost gear segment. The said shaft 53 will then be rotated whenever the arm 42 swings. When the strain upon the drum, upon the cable 18, is sufficient to move the guide roller 50 downward against the action of the spring 43, the shaft 53 will be rotated in the direction to cause the friction wheel 34 to move toward the axis of the wheel 26. The result is an increase in power delivered from the motor to the drum. On the other hand, when the tension is relieved and the spring 43 reacts to raise the roller 50, it will be obvious that the wheel 34will then automatically move away from the axis of the wheel 26, decreasing the power delivered, but increasing the speed.

In like manner means may be provided for controlling the engine itself. Thus any of the well known controlling elements of the engine may be operated from the shaft and consequently 53. For example, in Figs. 7 and 8 thethrottle 69 of the engine is illustrated, and is suitably geared as shown at 70 to a sprocket wheel 71. Around this sprocket wheel passes a chain 72 that is engaged with a sprocket wheel 7 3 on the shaft 53. The movement of the shaft will therefore actuate the throttle to diminish or increase the sup-- ply of fuel to the engine.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advautages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in. the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Havin thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a cable drum thereon, means on the member for rotating the drum in either of opposite directions, a propelling cable that moves around the drum, and means constantly engaged with the cable for automaticallv taking up the slack of the propeller cable in rear of the drum irrespective of the direction of rotation of said drum.

2. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums, a propelling cable wrapped around both drums, means connected to one of the drums for rotating the same in either of opposite directions, and means in constant engagement with the cable for avoiding undue slack therein in rear of either drum when said drums are rotated in either of opposite directions.

3. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a cable drum mounted thereon, means on the member for driving the drum, tension take-up rollers yieldingly mounted on the vehicle member on opposite sides of and in line with the drum for constant engagement with the cable and for automatically taking up the slack of the propelling cable on opposite sides of said drum.

4. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums journaled thereon around which the propelling cable is wrapped, means connected to one of the drums for driving the same, and take-up rollers yieldingly mounted on the Vehicle member and located at the outer sides of and in line with the drums for constant engagement with the cable and for automatically taking up the slack of the pro pelling cable.

5. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums Cir journaled thereon around which the propelling cable is hicle member for effecting the rotation of the drums in either of opposite directions, takeeup rollers for engaging the propelling cable wrapped upon the drums, in line with said drums and for constant engagement with the cable, and means for placing the rollers under yielding tension.

6. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a propelling drum thereon, a shaft carrying the drum, means for rotating the drum, a swinging arm adjacent to the drum journaled on the shaft, a spring engaged with the arm for yieldingly moving the same in one direction, and a take-up roller journaled on the arn'i and adapted to engage with the propelling cable wrapped upon the drum.

7 In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums journaled thereon, means mounted on the vehicle member and connected to one of the drums for rotating the same, a swinging arm adjacent to each drum, means for yield ingly moving the arms in one direction, and take-up rollers journaled on the arms and adapted to engage the propelling cable wrapped upon the drums.

8. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced shafts mounted thereon, drums carried by the shafts and adapted to have the propelling cable wrapped thereupon, means mounted on the vehicle member and connected to one of the drums for rotating the same in either of opposite directions, arms pivoted between their ends on the respective shafts, rollers mounted on the outer ends of the arms and arranged to engage the propelling cable adjacent to the outer sides of the drums, and springs connected to the inner ends of the arms for yieldingly moving said arms in one direction.

9. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of drum mechanism thereon, tension take-up rollers yieldingly mounted on the vehicle member and adapted to engage the propelling cable located upon the drum, and means for permitting a lat eral movement of the rollers.

10. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of drum mechanism thereon, means on the vehicle member for driving the drum mechanism, a swinging arm mounted on the vehicle member, means for yieldingly swinging the arm in one direction, and a take-up roller castered on the arm and adapted to engage with. a propelling cable wrapped upon the drum.

11. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a drum journaled thereon, means on the vehicle member for rotating the drum, an arm pivotally mounted between its ends on the vehicle member adwrapped, means on the ve-- jacent to the drum, a spring connected to one end portion of the arm, a journal box at the other end portion of the arm, and a take-up roller having a caster pintle journaled in the box.

12. In a cablelocomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums journaled thereon and each having inde pendent peripheral annular grooves for the cable wrapped thereon, and mounting for the drums on the vehicle member that cause the corresponding grooves of said drums to be out of line with each other.

13. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums journaled thereon and having peripheral grooves for the cable wrapped thereon, said drums having their axes of rotation disposed in intersecting angularly disposed planes.

14. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums journaled thereon and having peripheral grooves for the cable wrapped thereon, said drums being relatively canted to cause the grooves on one side of one drum to substantially aline with certain grooves of the other drum and to also substantially aline with different grooves of said other drum on the opposite side.

15. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a driving member mounted on the vehicle member, means on the vehicle member for operating the driving member, and means for automatically varying the amount of power delivered to the driving member by the operating means accordingas the resistance to the movement of the driving member is varied.

16. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a drum mounted on the said vehicle member for engagement with a propellingcable, a motor on the vehicle member, means for transmitting varying power from the motor to the drum, and mechanism for automatically varying the power so transmitted, according to the resistance to the movement of the drum.

17. In a cable locomotive, the combination with. a vehicle member, of a drum mounted on the said vehicle member for engagement witha propelling cable, a motor on the vehicle member, means for transn'iitting varying power from the motor to the drum, and mechanism for automatically varying the power so transmitted, according to the resistance to the movement of the drum, said means including a controlling element engaging and operated by the cable Wrapped upon the drum.

18. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a driving member mounted thereon for moving the vehicle member, a motor mounted on the vehicle member, means for transmitting varying power from the motor to the driving memher, and means controlled by the resistance to the movement of the driving member for automatically varying the power delivered to the driving member.-

19. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member,'of a driving membermounted thereon for moving the vvehicle member, a motor mounted on the vehicle member, variable friction transmission driving gear between the motor and driving member, and means controlled by the resistance to the movement of the driving member for automatically shifting the driving gear to vary the power delivered by the motor to the driving member.

20. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a drum rotatably mounted thereon for engagement with a propelling cable, a motor mounted on the vehiole member, variable friction transmission driving gearing between the motor and drum, and means controlled by the resistance to the movement of the drum for au tomatically shifting the driving gear to vary the pOWer delivered to the drum, said means including a movable controlling member comprising a take-up roller adapted to engage with a propelling cable wrapped upon the drum.

21. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a drum journaled thereon for engagement with a propelling cable, a motor mounted on the drum, means for transmitting varying power from the motor to the drum, a movable take up guide roller mounted adjacent to the drum, and adapted to engage the cable wrapped upon the drum, yielding means for resisting the movement of the roller, by the roller on its movement to operate the power transmitting means to vary the power delivered from the motor to the drum.

22. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a drum journaled thereon for engagement with a propelling cable, a motor mounted on the vehicle member, a variable friction transmission driving gear between the motor and driving member, a swinging arm disposed adjacent to the drum, a take-up guide roller mounted on the arm and arranged to engage the cable wrapped upon the drum, a spring engaged with the arm for resisting its swinging movement by the cable, and gear shifting means connected to the driving gear and operated by the arm on its movement.

23. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a drum mounted thereon for, engagement with a propelling cable, means for operating the drum, an automatic yielding slack take-up for a cable engaged with the drum, and means controlled by the movement of the take-up for controlling the power delivered by said driving means to the drum.

and means actuated 24;. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a drum journaled thereon and adapted to engage a propelling cable, means for driving the drum in either of opposite directions, automatic slack takeup devices mounted on the vehicle member for engagement with the cable wrapped upon the drum to take up slack therein when said drum is moved in opposite directions, and means controlled by the movement of either take up device for controlling the power delivered to the drum.

25. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums journaled thereon for engagement with a propelling cable, means for driving the drums in either of opposite directions, an automatic guide and slack take-up associated with each drum and adapted to engage the cable passing about the same, yielding means for resisting the movements of the take ups, and mechanism actuated by either take-up on its movement for varying the power delivered to the drums.

26. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums journaled thereon, a motor mounted on the vehicle member, means for operating the drums from the motor, including a variable friction driving mechanism, a swinging arm associated with each drum, a cable-take-up guide roller mounted on each arm, a spring engaged with each arm for yieldingly resisting its movement, gear elements carried by the arms, a shaft journaled on the vehicle member and having gears adapted to mesh with the gear elements, and means operated by the shaft for shifting the friction drive mechanism.

27. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a driving member mounted thereon, a motor for the driving member also mounted on the vehicle member, and means for automatically controlling the operation of the motor accord- 1 ing to the strain placed upon the driving member.

28. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a driving member mounted thereon, a motor for the driving member also mounted on the vehicle member, a controlling device for the motor, and means for automatically operating the controlling device according to the strain placed upon the driving member.

29. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of a drum journaled thereon, a motor for operating the drum, a device movably mounted'on the vehicle memher and engaging the cable to be moved thereby, a motor controlling member, and means actuated by said device when moved by the cable to operate the motor controlling member.

80. In a cable locomotive, the combination with a vehicle member, of spaced drums mounted thereon, swinging arms associated With the drums, a cable take-up roller mounted on each arm and engaging the cable Wrapped upon the drums, a motor for clriving the drums, gear segments carried by the arms, a shaft journalecl on the veliicle memher and having gears adapted to mesh with the gear elements of the arms, a controlling device for the motor, and means engaged 10 With the shaft and operated thereby for ac tuating the motor controlling member.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

v WVILL IAM C. LAWSON. Witnesses:

C. W. BISHOP, M. M. CALDWELL. 

